Do I have Creativity?

I have golfed, does that make me a “Golfer”?

I have written- does that make me a “Writer?”

I have painted- does that make me an Artist?’

Yes. You are. The world doesn’t define you.

Is your perfectionism awaiting outward validation?

It has long been true that women feel the urge to create something every day: putting hands in the dirt, baking muffins, painting a picture, writing a poem, delivering a baby.

Numerous cultures have folk stories that remind women of the importance of creative activity and expression.

We, by nature, are designed to create and without it begin to suffer. We begin to dry up. Women Who Run with the Wolves – Sealskin Soulskin

If you find yourself in a rut, try to make something that didn’t exist before you. If you need inspiration, try these three ideas.

#1 Loosen up. 

Scribble on a big piece of paper knowing nobody will see it. Use a big blank piece of paper.

You won’t expect it to be beautiful. Take away your limitations on what it should look like to you or others.

Just express yourself.  SCRIBBLE.

The worst thing that could happen is that you use up a piece of paper. 

The best thing is it makes you smile because you didn’t expect anything from it, and it made you happy! 

Watch a toddler. They are all happy scribblers. They aren’t judging themselves or worried if someone won’t like it.

Too soon children learn to scribble on the paper, not on the wall and then within the lines and putting the “right” color on the right subject matter.

It isn’t long before they grow up worrying about what others think. Soon we stop all together.

#2 Do it again. Scribble, but with your eyes CLOSED.

Now close your eye and scribble on a piece of paper. Pick up a paint brush and paint with your eyes closed.

Just be careful that the water doesn’t spill.

On second thought, who cares if it does.

It is WATER.

It doesn’t matter what it looks like, it is about how you feel while you are doing it?  

When you open your eyes and look at it, take a moment, smile, and circle what you like.

Is there a shape, a color combination, a mixture of colors that did something unplanned? 

Did you accidentally draw a nose or a leaf or the beginning of a street scene. Consider that a bonus, but not a requirement.

Does it spark a bit of inner joy?

Then, do it again!

Do it until you just don’t care. Break away from your self-imposed limitations and walls. It is freeing and will spark something inside you that you may not recognize. 

If you draw, paint, write something with pleasing others in mind, you may begin editing yourself.

When you begin to measure yourself and reduce yourself to fit into a frame, or a published novel, you can lose your creativity and expression.

Create first and worry about framing it later if it suits you and if it makes you happy.

Just Dance like no one is watching.

Write like no one is reading. 

Paint like no one is buying. 

#3 Do it again tomorrow and every day after that. 

*Please share other creative-generating ideas below. You can connect with Jenny on her social pages HERE

*For more articles like this, visit our Mission:Milspouse Blog Page.